The Corfe Castle Murders (Dorset Crime Book 1)

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Her introduction at the crime scene didn't go as smoothly as is should have. She and her new team members are sure to butt heads .. leaving her superiors wondering if she's going to fit in. The keep at Corfe Castle was built in the early 12th century for King Henry I, William the Conqueror’s son. It was designed to be impressive – and it certainly was. The novella The Lochside Murder (you don’t have to read this to follow the series but this is where it fits) The charity novella The Riverside Murder (a shorter book written to support Ukraine, you don’t need to read this to follow the series but this is where it fits)

The Corfe Castle Murders - Fantastic Fiction The Corfe Castle Murders - Fantastic Fiction

DCI Lesley Clarke relocates to Dorset following an injury. She moves from inner city to a rural location and struggles to adjust to the change of pace. But there is a murder the day before she officially starts. Can she get her new team on side and will they solve the case before another death happens…? The Corfe Castle Murders is the first book in a new series set in Dorset and also the first book by author Rachel McLean that I have read. Lesley is a great character to throw into the mix with the Dorset police team. They are a male heavy team, averse to the involvement of uniform, and have a dislike of bad language! Lesley defies the conventions especially in her encouragement of a young female uniformed officer, oh and the odd swear word! The murder plot is intriguing as Laila finds her boyfriend Archie’s body at the archaeological dig they are working on. Jealousy is suspected as the motive but is it Laila who knew Archie was married, Susan his wife or the other dig researcher who wanted a relationship with Laila? Or could another motive be uncovered… The writing and dialogue are easy to read and feel realistic so it is easy to get involved with the plot and characters. I liked the way Lesley sounds out each of her new colleagues which allows us to get to know them too. The Corfe Castle Murders was a hugely enjoyable police procedual novel and I loved the lead character as well as the strong plot. I can’t wait for more in the series!Lesley is a complex character who has a lot going on in her life. I feel that there is more to her than meets the eye and I hope this is further explored as the book series progresses. Note: Zoe appears in these books as part of a storyline that’s separate from the main series storyline in the Zoe Finch books. So if you read these first, it won’t spoil those books.

The Corfe Castle Murders: Dorset Crime, Book 1 (Audio

The Corfe Castle Murders is a compelling, character-driven mystery perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, LJ Ross and Elly Griffiths.After reading many novels over the years, she thought there was a gap in the genre waiting to be filled and this is just what she intends to do with her writing. Rachel

Corfe Castle Murders by Mclean Rachel - AbeBooks Corfe Castle Murders by Mclean Rachel - AbeBooks

Murder in the Bookshop– a charity story written for the Little Shop of Murders anthology. This comes before the series itself but you don’t have to read it to know what’s going on. It raises money for children’s charities. But when she hears the anguished screams by Laila she dashes to the scene and begins a murder investigation. OK, so it’s not the best crime book you’re ever going to read. It is a basic whodunnit with very few characters but I read it in four days so certainly kept my interest. There is a new DCI in town called Lesley Clarke. She has been sent down from the Birmingham force for 6 months so she can have a quieter life getting over a traumatic event. That quiet life comes to nought when a dead archaeologist working on a dig in Corfe Castle turns up immediately. He has been bludgeoned. We follow Lesley who is trying to adjust to her new surroundings and her new team. I will not divulge anymore.

In fact, she always found jobs where she had to do anything to do with putting together training documents, briefing notes and press releases among other writings.

Dorset Crime - Book Series In Order

It turned out to be an excellent choice. The Corfe Castle Murders is a straight police procedural, with a cute, quiet setting and a focus on how an abrasive, foul-mouthed, recently injured, big-city cop, on temporary assignment to sleepy Dorset while she gets over her recent trauma gets on with her new rural police team.She works with detective sergeant Dennis Frampton, detective constable Michael Legg, detective constable Johnny Chiles, and police constables Mullins and Tinna Abbot. She also gets the support and skills of crime scene manager Gail Hansford. Hatton remained close to Elizabeth I until his death in 1591, when he was given a state funeral and buried at St Paul’s Cathedral. A magnificent monument to him stood there until it was destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666. Freya Garside is an octogenarian busybody living in Kings Heath, Birmingham. She finds herself at the heart of unsolved mysteries and her natural interest in people (or rather, her nosiness) helps her to solve them.